Fight against human trafficking in La Crosse gets big donation

New Horizons, which helps about a dozen victims a year, gets $10k donation.

A big donation helps deal with human trafficking in La Crosse.

The New Horizons shelter in La Crosse has collected $10,000 from the Center of Chiropractic to help the organization’s efforts in dealing with the impacts of human trafficking in the area.  

Human trafficking is always present, New Horizons executive director Ann Kappauf said. So much so that a local task force has been put into place to help deal with it.

“We know it’s happening and the task force is working to do anything that they can to educate the community that it’s happening right here,” Kappauf said, adding New Horizons helps about a dozen victims of human trafficking every year.

It’s become such a problem, in fact, that New Horizons added two to its staff devoted to dealing specifically with trafficked victims.

“Although trafficked persons are similar to persons who have experienced domestic abuse and/or sexual abuse, there’s differences there, too,” Kappauf said.

And, while the $10,000 was a huge boost, the fight against trafficking is always in need.

“We could use 100 more donations of $10,000,” Kappauf said. “Our shelter has been continuously filled to the brim with residents since about 2009.”

 

Part of the problem with human trafficking in La Crosse is, simply, it’s location.

“With that being right on the interstate between Minneapolis and St. Paul and Madison, and having so many exists that go right to hotels, it’s so easy for traffic persons to be here in La Crosse,” Kappauf said.